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EVA Gives Hokkaido-Bound Passengers Added Flexibility New service between Taipei and Hakodate starts 28 October

EVA Air will begin flying to a second destination in Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s four main islands, on 28 October, 2012. Initially, the carrier will operate two flights a week between Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport and Hakodate Airport. The added service will make trip planning easier and significantly more convenient for business and leisure travelers who fly back and forth between Taiwan and Hokkaido. Travelers can book, buy and reserve seats now through their travel agents, brokers and on EVA’s user-friendly website, www.evaair.com

EVA will serve the new gateway with a 252-seat Airbus 330-200. Flight BR138 will depart Taoyuan at 11:05 am and arrive in Hakodate at 15:35 (3:35 pm) on Wednesdays and Sundays. Return flight BR137 will depart Hakodate at 16:50 (4:50 pm) and land back in Taoyuan at 20:15 (8:15 pm) on the same day. In December 2012, EVA will increase frequency with a third weekly flight on Thursdays. Flight time between Taoyuan and Hakodate is about three and a half hours.

With its abundant natural resources and tourism development, Hokkaido attracts travelers from throughout the world. It has four distinct seasons and is a favorite among Taiwanese travelers for its cherry blossoms in spring, lavender in summer, maple leaves in fall and snow in winter.

Hakodate was established in 1454 as a trading outpost and grew to become a thriving port. It is the third largest city in Hokkaido, located in the southern part of the island and linked to Japan’s largest and best-known island, Honshu, by the 53.85 km (33.49 mile) Seikan Tunnel. Hakodate is famous for its seafood, sushi and ramen and, along with Hong Kong and Naples, Italy, known for having one of the world’s three most beautiful night views. EVA began serving the promising Hakodate travel market in 1998 with seasonal charter flights, providing as many as 130 flights a year and approximately 400 total flights. Its new route will be the shortest from Taiwan to southern Hokkaido.

EVA now flies between Taoyuan and Sapporo daily. As soon as it launches the new Hakodate flights, it will be providing close to 3,000 seats a week and more access between Hokkaido and Taiwan than any other airline. The service will give business and leisure passengers greater flexibility and more itinerary options, and save both time and money. EVA is also working with travel agents to create tour packages that complement its current Sapporo products, designing them so that passengers can arrange to arrive in one city and depart from the other.

EVA’s routing within Asia is among the best in the airline industry. From gateways in Europe, Oceania and North America, passengers can make one stop in Taipei and easily connect onward to most major business and leisure destinations in Asia, including Sapporo and Hakodate. Travelers can book, buy and reserve seats through travel agents and brokers, by calling an EVA ticket office or at www.evaair.com.